Tourism on the rise: Mexico registered eight million visitors in June

Mexican tourism appears to be experiencing a golden moment. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) show that visits to the country have been steadily increasing since 2023, following the severe blow of the Covid-19 pandemic. June was a month of positive numbers, with more than eight million tourists arriving, representing an 11.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The majority of these travelers (more than four million) were foreigners, 10% higher than the same month a year earlier. The statistics institute records more than 23 million tourists in the first half of the year.

Spending by these visitors has also increased. The INEGI report shows that foreign currency income reached $2.7 billion, representing a 5.7% increase over the previous year. The average spending per visitor in June was $343, although those arriving by air spent more, averaging $1,000 per person.

These are good numbers for a country recovering from the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mexico closed 2020 with a 46% drop in international tourism due to the health emergency. That year, the country received 20 million fewer foreign tourists compared to 2019, representing a loss of more than $13 billion. Before the coronavirus crisis, Mexican tourism had enjoyed several years of success, even exceeding the government’s expectations. In 2019, the North American country welcomed 48 million tourists, representing an 8% increase compared to the previous year. Income from these visitors exceeded $24.8 billion, a figure celebrated by both authorities and industry leaders.

The pandemic seems distant five years later, and Mexico is now among the six most-visited destinations in the world: in 2024, it received 45 million international tourists, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur). The country has also become the second most-popular destination for medical tourism, with 1.2 million foreign patients annually. Seven out of 10 tourists who choose Mexico for their vacations come from the United States or Canada.

The new figures reinforce the idea that Mexico is in fashion and that its capital is a popular destination for foreigners. Mexico City is experiencing the so-called “chilango moment,” with a huge influx of tourists, not without controversy due to the rising cost of living and increases in rental prices for houses and apartments. Tourism in the capital registered a 103% increase in 2023, according to the city government.

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